… Among so many others! 2019 was an eventful year for our Group in so many ways: a new corporate identity, the launch of our lifestyle loyalty programme ALL – Accor Live Limitless, the 1st anniversary of RiiSE, ever more new innovations, contemporary events… here is a round-up of 12 highlights from the past 12 months!
We became Accor and launched ALL – Accor Live Limitless
In February 2018, our Group unveiled its new premium positioning, along with a new identity to fulfill its ambition of designing the travel experience and lifestyle of tomorrow. AccorHotels became Accor! A name which reflects our desire to be part of its customers' lives beyond their stays with us. Today we are much more than just hotels. We are the world leader of Augmented Hospitality and we offer new ways to Live, Work and Play thanks to a worldwide ecosystem of brands and services.
A real gateway to the benefits, services and experiences offered by our Group, our lifestyle programme ALL- Accor Live Limitless was launched in 2019 to bring our customers those moments that money can’t buy, through its unique digital platform. And to mark this groundbreaking launch, our programme is principal partner and official jersey sponsor of Paris Saint-Germain for the 2019/2020 season. Today, the internationally known French football club’s jersey bears 3 letters: ALL.
ibis announced “WE ARE OPEN”
A powerful opening message that comes to life with the brand’s new signature! At the start of 2019, ibis began a global transformation to reinvent itself and stand out in the economy hotel sector. Its new watchword is openness - to the world, to people, to passions and to music. This positive rallying cry was taken up in its advertising campaign by the Danish director Lasse Martinussen: 56 profoundly human seconds celebrating tolerance, conviviality and inclusiveness where the notion of openness is ever-present.
To turn its vision into reality the brand has also rethought its design and catering concepts. These concepts took shape at the ibis Tallinn Center, which opened last January.
VivaTech attracted the key players in innovation
124,000 visitors, 13,000 startups, 2,500 journalists, 300 partners, 3 days… In 2019, the 4th edition of Viva Technology broke all the records! This year we were a Gold partner of the event and this was proudly displayed on our 390m² stand decked out in the colours of our new corporate identity.
The programme featured appearances by our Group’s key speakers such as Sébastien Bazin, CEO Accor, Maud Bailly, Chief Digital Officer, Gilles de Richemond, Chief Information Officer and Steven Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer, on topics to do with hospitality and digital. But this year the customer experience and loyalty were the stars of the show! Our teams launched 7 challenges aimed at startups on these topics. In total, 36 of them pitched their projects on the Accor Lab. A highly successful edition which was brought to a close with an exclusive concert by the renowned DJ The Avener… See you in 2020 to celebrate innovation at next year’s edition!
RiiSE reached new heights
On 24 October, RiiSE our international network committed to gender equality and diversity celebrated its 1st anniversary! Formerly named WAAG, the network was transformed in 2018 to embody some powerful concepts: rising up, going beyond equality towards equity, being and becoming better, thriving and growing not only individually but also collectively.
A commitment that is reflected in its new name … have you spotted it? The double ″ii″ in RiiSE symbolises women AND men working side by side to promote values such as equity, knowledge sharing, solidarity and the fight against stereotypes. With more than 29,000 members today, the network promotes diversity, a key driver of collective performance. It does this though mentoring, training, sharing events or actions to combat stereotypes and violence towards women. A 1st year that opens up fine prospects for those to come…
21C Museum joined the MGallery Hotel Collection
A museum in a hotel? You’re not dreaming! With its network of 8 hotels across the United States, 21C Museum is one of the largest contemporary art museums in the United States and houses the only collection in North America dedicated exclusively to 21st century art.
The network has recently joined the collection of boutiques-hotels MGallery Hotel Collection, enabling the latter to take its first steps on the continent. The new 21c Museum Hotels – MGallery brand represents the commitment shared by the 2 brands to give their guests an innovative travel experience, imbued with art, history and culture.
The JO&JOE Paris Gentilly opened for business
What is the JO&JOE Paris Gentilly exactly? An Open House that celebrates street-art through the creations of 9 artists who have lierally taken over its walls, but not only that. It is also unusual accommodation – private or shared, a place where people can get together to enjoy themselves, a tailor-made concept to facilitate living all together, spaces opening onto the outside…
And for foodlovers, a wide choice that changes according to the seasons and the Chef’s inspiration! Another detail which makes it worth a visit is the impressive beer wall in the hotel’s designer bar. In brief, the JO&JOE Paris Gentilly opened in April and is waiting for you to bring its spaces to life because, after all, YOU are the life of this Open House.
We declared war on food waste during the Planet 21 Day
By proclaiming loud and clear: "Love food, not waste"! Today more than a third of global food production is wasted because all too often we are not given enough information on the solutions to put in place on a daily basis. On the occasion of Earth Day and Planet 21 Day, our Group spoke out to raise awareness and find new ways to fight food waste. Over several weeks we set a challenge for our hotels and head offices all over the world around this issue. Their mission was to find new solutions to eliminate food waste by taking part in the 3rd edition of the Green Stars Challenge.
This was one of the year's highlights and in line with the Group's desire to have a positive impact at a local as well as a global level so that hospitality benefits not only a few but everyone.
Nextdoor became Wojo
And with good reason… In 2019, the brand underwent a transformation to offer a new work experience that is resolutely positive. The result is a name that gives the mojo! Wojo is the reference network for new uses and co-working spaces offering services.
In response to the changes in the workplace, the brand has adapted its offering with a new typology: the Wojo Spots and the Wojo Corners to be found in the Group’s hotels and the Wojo sites, rallying points for the community in dedicated buildings. There’s no doubt about it with Wojo, ″workplace″ and ″fulfillment″ go hand in hand!
Sofitel celebrated its French heritage
As the 1st international luxury hotel brand to originate from France, Sofitel offers a new look at design, gastronomy, the arts, culture and wellness. Values which were brought to life thanks to its new promise paying homage to its roots, Live The French Way. With the voice of the French pop icon Clara Luciani, the brand invites you to live as the French do. What does that mean? Letting oneself go and enjoying the unexpected, being joyful and carefree, while at the same time staying elegant and chic!
In support of its new positioning Sofitel also launched a series of unmissable events, Les Dîners Extraordinaires with the talented Chef Yannick Alléno. Design, gastronomy, arts and culture are brought together at these dinners in the most beautiful destinations in the world. The 1st edition took place on 23 September at the Hôtel d’Evreux (Paris) in the presence of a multitude of French celebrities.
The Montreux Jazz Festival rocked Switzerland
For the 2nd consecutive year, Accor was a partner of the Montreux Jazz Festival from 28 June to 13 July 2019. Over 10 days or more, music and hospitality went hand in hand in the glorious Swiss sunshine. A new edition calls for new acts and our Group staged 5 exclusive experiences offering festival-goers some amazing musical performances.
In a nutshell, the programme featured 17 concerts on the ibis MUSIC Terrace, the House of Vinyl ALL opened its doors and brought guests together around a collection retracing the history of the Montreux Jazz Festival, the general public was invited to climb aboard a reproduction of the Orient-Express for an original musical journey and the 2 winners of the Fairmont World Tour were announced. A successful event, inspired by jazz!
The Loft has settled into the heart of events
is possible with our new mobile hotel prototype! Launched this year by our Innovation Lab, this nomadic concept brings an infinite range of experiences during events, in the countryside or unusual places. It was created to satisfy the needs of our customers as our teams realised that there is an acute lack of comfortable and well situated hotel accommodation during big events.
We created a new brand called greet
Closer to individuals and the environment, greet is an economy hotel brand which answers the growing demand for sustainable tourism. It aims to work with respect for others and the world by taking an increasing number of actions to limit its footprint and offer an engaged community experience. This committed stance is shared by its teams, the greeters!
It’s first hotel is nestled in the heart of the Burgundy vineyards, at the entirely renovated greet hôtel Beaune.Its 52 rooms, its lobby, play areas and other living spaces are equipped with second-hand or recycled furniture because greet has set itself the mission of giving a second chance, a second life! Decidedly, this brand is ″Born to be greet″ !
12 highlights, but not the only ones...
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